Field regulator



' Dec. 8, 1925. 1,564,938

P. l. CHANDEYSSON FIELD REGULATOR Filed April 29, 1922 Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PIERRE I. CHANDEYSSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 MARSHALL ELEG- TRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FIELD REGULATOR.

Application filed April 29, 1922. Serial No. 557,373.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, PIERRE I. CHANDEYS- son, citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new My invention relates to electric current regulation and in one of its general aspects aims to provide a simple substitute for the series field winding as commonly employed on direct-current generators for affording an increase of the field excitation with an increase of the current output of the generator. That is to say, my invention aims to provide means adapted for use with a generator which has only a shunt winding on its field, and to arrange these means so as to vary the current flowing through this shunt winding automatically and in response to the variations in the output of the genera-- tor, whereby the ordinary shunt winding in connection with the appliance of my invention will atlord the equivalent of a compound Winding.

Furthermore, my invention aims to provide a simple, easily constructed, inexpensive and durable resistance controller suitable for use wherever a resistance is to be automatically controlled by the strength of a current; aims to provide such a controller in a form in which the same may readily be connected to an ordinary shunt-wound generator as a substitute for a series field winding on the latter; and desirably aims to provide thermostatically operated means for causing the controller to respond to variations in the generated current.

IVhile compound windings or combinations of shunt and series field windings are well suited for many purposes when employed on direct current generators, such compound windings have the disadvantage of permitting a reversing of the generator in case'the latter is used for charging storage batteries. For example, it has become quite customary to charge three-cell batteries (such as those used on automobiles) by the constant voltage method which consists in connecting the same either directly or through a small resistance to a 75 volt D. C. circuit. If a compound wound generator is used for this purpose, there is a ossibility of having the generator reversed y taking current from the batteries, and as this will cause a reversal of the current flowing through the series windin of the generator, the resulting reversal 0 current may cause serious damage. Morethe magnetizing over, while the compound winding of a genorator may result in producingthe same voltage at no load as that at full load, the voltages with intermediate loadings may vary considerably, which is highly undesirable for many classes of current supply.

In one of its general aspects, my invention aims to overcome'both of these objections and aims to provide a simple method and means for automatically regulating the generated current throughout the range of loading. For these purposes, it aims to provide simple means for accon'iplishing the same results as those afforded by the series field winding on a compound wound generator without permitting a reversal of mm rent.

Furthermore, my invention aims to provide a resistance regulator including novel features which may be employed with equal advantage either with a thermo-electrically responsive member as one of the mechanical actuating elements, or with a solenoid employed for this purpose. It also aims to provide a'construction which can readily be employed for affording any desired regulating characteristics including those of a compounding action and of a differential action, and which can also be employed for other purposes where an automatically controlled rheostat is needed. Still further and also more detailed objects will appear from the following specification and from the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a view showing a regulator em- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary would occur when the generator of 1 is inoperation and when thej'strength of the generated current has 17eacl1ed a predetermined wattage.

i'ng' -a I regulatoriembodying n y inven tio n arranged and .lconniected-forproducmg a d fi'zfierentialefi'ect', and also showing the thermoi-r'esponsive action as producedby theflow of ,x im rent #directlywthrough the thermostatic bar which serves as the; actuating me "-fo'f.th eiappliance. f :Fig. 145s aiview; similar. to, Fig. -1 but with mber the speed-controlling resistance in the shunt gavin'dingfofithe generator-omitted and with a;solenoid:substitutedj for: the thern ostatic iba ias theiactuating member .ofthe regulator. -1-:Fi is'a' fragmentary sectional view -stituent.parts-ofmy field r g a f- I a:

showing 1 a (:lesirable mounting for the 5 condirect current {generator 1 ,havingitstermii'nal's connectedfgthrough supply. W B and 3 to a lampaload 4-,; and havingitsterminals :also;.connected;;to a :shuntfiel'd winding 5 '-iwhichaais finw series 'jWliJll. a manually con- L-trolled -resistance '6 for regulating the ,yolt- -ia'gez whi'ch is to .be maintained by the gen- I 'erator. Interposed in series with the shunt "field Twinding :5 is i av multi-sectional l res stance, comprising section 75-, 7

75 etcr conn'ected inser'ies with each other.' Thesesectionsare jointly; supported :by a series of .in-

"sultting -2 blocks 8- which desirably; are fastened together by bolts 16 extending through N i'n sulating tubes 17 after the manner of Fig.

5w Interposed z-. b'etween ;-=t-h ese' insulating 1. blocks "at .ltheuljunctures of ,the consecutive i sections are' spring fingers-9; desirably, made ol; ibrasswori'bronze each; ovfxwhich is electri- 'c-aly 5 connected .to the ones-end; of bothy-re- 'stance sections adjacent toihe samem That ,is'jto say,rthe spring brass fingers, 9 of -Fig, l is/electricallyconnected to a? term1n al of;, 'the IGSIStEIIICQSBCCIOII 7 1 and'a terminalpof;

the-resistanc'e section 7 or.-in otliertwords,

the springfingersextendfrom the =junct1 1res "'oi tl're consecutive resistance sections. :These, "spring: fingers 'I desirably vextendg in; the, same general direction and may-betastened'to the.- -'insulatingiblocks: by the'samebolts 16 which secure "the resistance. :sections to v the latterw Thisisfl readilvi done] bv- )rovidin i a'lined v PA.

rti-o tct the 14fi1 9f Fi t w i g i (a te frownsas o e cuited 'by""the' action" of; -my-' appliance as" all in aliner ient I but the thicknes of the 'buttonsff being such th t h re n y; of he si t ng fin carrying the same i villnormally'ho'ld the isp n n r th e .;res istance., sectioni spring fin er i) h n-t i f a .9 flexalso?t y ri si' 1 6; uppe carbon button ,1110% on the @latter' injf manner shown in '2.

ltlle circuit wire 2 andofsuch rcsl .to be heated by t lllf i loti of .e -r t mtv th V1. @2 1 h -#1 bieti s $1 perforations in the resistance blocks 8, the ends of the resistance sections 7, and the spring fingers 9. With such an assembly,

the bolts 16 simultaneously clamp all partstogether, these bolts being insulated from themetal parts by the tubes 17 which also extend through the samezperforations:

Each resistance" unithas "anintermediate coiled part and ends or tips of. such length mas-t0 su pport't helcoil *c'lose tto the adjacent lingers 9' etcl' 'It w'il'l thus b'e seen that the a several resistance units are housed and protected by and between adjacent fin ers, affording a compact and simple assem lage.

Each 6f are spring fingers 9 carries at or near its free end ayp airt ofcarbon buttons 10 meeting e p tir y the appo races [of the ,stipj,gtlie "said buttons being reg s y i h a h q h f,

consecuti vely. disposed .button'slo'ut of conmally out of contactwithjthose carriedjby v h n fin s nd/ P; mass; the contactbuttons 10 carried by acent strips can be broughtv into lfen agementb'y" a flexing ,of onestri w threspecttothe' other. 'Co'nscquentlypan upwar.(.l,fleXing of the lowermost spring-finger 9?? .iinFig. ,1 will cause the a o but 10? Ql tjW 1i b'n b' th carbon ,but Ons carried on the next 'h'ighjer Hg-WIlLCELUSB the uns finger inent with I the lower carbon butt-c1110 carri y,.- p sw ns 9F; i u n ho tcr- GillillngdllelQSl auc'e sect on}; and so on.

y,'shoraircuaing,-t a

In other words, the upwardflexingot the secu i x fi'e t y she it i ree t 1 bne another o the s stan c sea o1 aterit1 ist cv ofv the gene atedg urrer a t Wa eiei t eeet rs Th s, ist f the free end of the lower spring finger ,9? as adjacent: an insulating '1 carried by atliermostatic bar lP whicli i sdesir v ablydisposed parallel the' spring ifingers and whlch has its constituent portion sofdiss milar materialgsoarrang e dgthat ,the lower one thereof has {the greater, coeflicien't ot .cx- 11511151011; 'llh s .thern'iostat 1c;;.bar 12, is,,s'1u--,

1 ounded b coil 13 connected in ,s'er'ie with anceias rcntfrom the automatically 'responsive to some "charactertherniostaticbar to r haangeaaiwhieh i proportioned to the current supply the generator.

From the above, 'itf will be" evident' ithat when there is no load on the" circuit; the entire multi-sectional resistance is in series with the shunt winding, thuslimiting the strength'of the field excitation to a predetermined amount. However, as the load on the generator increases, the heating effect of the coil 13 will cause the thermostatic bar 12 the generator to drop in voltage with its increase of load. At the same time, the inherent resiliency of the spring fingers 9 will continuously tend to return these to their normal parallel positions in which they interrupt the shortcircuiting of the resistance sections,-so that a decrease in thegenerated current and a consequent decrease in the flexing of the thermostatic bar will cause a corresponding increase of the amount of resistance connected in series with the field winding.

My regulator will therefore respond automatically to fluctuations in the load on the generator, and with suitably proportioned resistance sections can readily be made to maintain either a uniform voltage or one having any desired curve of voltage drop. However, when all resistance sections have been shortcircuited, the action ceases and any further increase in load will find the same operating as a simple shunt-wound generator with the normal drooping characteristic of the latter. Thus, while the generating outfit as above described can easily be adjusted to maintain a uniform charging voltage for any load up to the normal at which all sections of the rheostat are shortcircuited, the addition of further batteries to the load will cause the voltage to decrease materially, thereby safeguarding the generator against damage from undue loading.

From the above it will be evident that the appliance of my invention is exceedingly simple both in construction and in operation, and by employing carbon buttons as the contact elements I avoid a sticking of these parts. Furthermore, the changes in curvature of the various spring fingers during their action of flexing and of transmitting pressure to one another causes the adjacent contact buttons to rub upon each other, thereby keeping the contact surfaces generator clean". Iti willalso be 'evidentthat my apbe appli'cdfi'to any ordinary'shunt wound However, while I have heretofore described my invention is an embodiment affording a convenient substitute for a series or compounding field winding and having the actuation afforded through the flexing of a thermostatic bar surrounded by a heating coil, I do not wish to be limited to this particular combination, nor to the various details of construction and arrangement as above disclosed. Obviously, many changes or modifications might be made without departing either from the spirit of my invention or from the appended claims.

For example, the equivalent of a difl'erential winding can readily be afforded by inverting the thermostatic bar after the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. This shows a thermostatic bar 13 so constructed that it will normally be flexed upwardly to a position in which it holds all of the carbon contact buttons in a resistance-shunting disposition. It also shows the current flowing directly through the thermostatic bar, the latter being arranged for obtaining an unflexing action by the direct heating efi'ect of the current flowing through the bar. In this case, the ;,resistance sections 14 in series with the field winding are all normally shortcircuited, but an increase in the generated current will successively rupture the shortcircuiting of one after another of the resistance sections, thereby decreasing the amount of field excitation.

Fig. 4 shows still another embodiment, namely one in which no manually controlled resistance is employed in series with the field winding and in which the actuation of the spring fingers is effected by the core 14 of a solenoid 15 which is in series with one of the supply wires of the circuit, so that the actuating member in this instance is electromagnetic instead of electro-thermostatic.

Furthermore, it will be evident that even with a thermo-responsive means as shown in Figs. 1 or 3, the controlling of the regulating rheostat depends simply on the current flowing through the wire 2, regardless of the source of the current flowing through that wire. Hence my invention will obviously be adapted also for any purpose where it may be desirable to increase or decrease a resistance in response to variations in a current which is not flowing through that resistance.

I claim as my invention In a regulator, a resistance including a series of spaced spring fingers, a series of P Soals'o, the use of my invention in no way interferes 'w ith any; manual control' such as mightbeeflected throughan adtjustabl'e'res'istance6;

coiled resistance units interposed in the tips and close to the adjacent fingers so as spaces between the respective fingers and to be housed by the latter, a button carried 1 having intermediate coils and tips engaged by each finger, and means to connect the with adjacent fingers, insulating blocks infingers and the tips of the units to the blocks. terposed in the spaces between adjacent fih- Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, April 4, gers and engaged with the tips of the re- 1922.

sistance units, the tips being of such length so as to support the coils by and. from their PIERRE I. CHAN DEYSSON. 

